Welcome to our July Newsletter!
|
|
For the past several years we have been creating and distributing seperate monthly newsletters for our two laboratories. We distribute a newsletter to the mailing list for Granite State Analytical in Derry, NH and seperate one for A & L Laboratory in Auburn, Maine. After much considetation we decided it was time to merge our two newsletters into one! Over the past five years we have been continually trying to unfiy the identities of our two laboratories and this seemed like the perfect next step for us. We will still bring you current news from across the United States and State specific information for Maine and New Hampshire. We hope you will enjoy all of the articles and maybe learn a bit about your neighboring state in the process. Thank you for taking the time to read our newsletter. We greatly enjoy providing you with industry news and events each month. If there is something you would like to learn about, please let us know!
|
|
Happy Independence Day!
May your 4th be filled with laughter, good food, family, friends, and some much needed sun.
Let’s enjoy the blessings of independence America gives its citizens every day. With our hearts full of love, pride, and appreciation, we celebrate the noble foundations of our country. Happy birthday USA!
Reminder: We will be closed July 4th, 5th & 6th.
|
|
In this Edition
What is Turbidity?
Natural Groundwater Contamination
Soak up the Rain NH
Water Operator Program in Maine
Industry News
|
|
We care what you think! Please take our survey and lets us know how we are doing.
|
|
What is Turbidity?
By Kerri Pawlina
|
|
Turbidity is caused by particles suspended or dissolved in water that scatter light making the water appear cloudy or murky; it is a measure of the relative clarity of a liquid. When the intensity of scattered light in the sample is high, the measure of turbidity in the sample is high. Turbidity can also increase water temperature because suspended particles absorb more heat.
Materials that cause water to be turbid include clay, silt, finely divided inorganic and organic matter, algae, soluble colored organic compounds, plankton and other microscopic organisms. Excessive turbidity in drinking water is aesthetically unappealing, and at higher levels may also represent a health concern. Turbidity can provide food and shelter for pathogens, i.e. viruses, parasites and some bacteria and can lead to waterborne diseases.
|
|
Natural Groundwater Contamination
By James Greenwood
|
|
When thinking about groundwater contamination, many people jump to the assertion that humans are most certainly at fault. While there are a large amount of contaminants that result from human activities, there are also many naturally occurring elements that can cause problems in your drinking water. Typically these elements seep into the groundwater from the soil and bedrock surrounding the underground channels, and once they do, they are likely to cause trouble. In most cases, these naturally occurring contaminants can cause health problems when consumed in large amounts. Normally one notices that their water is contaminated when their drinking water gives off a foul odor, funky color, or unpleasant taste, however some elements can go undetected while still having the same or worse health effects. Here is a rundown on how and why some of the elements that we test for can contaminate the groundwater that supplies your well:
Manganese:
Manganese is a mineral that is found abundantly through soil and sediment, especially around crops. It enters the underground water channel when runoff percolates through the soil. Typically it is detected in laundry when it leaves brown spots behind on clothing items, and in large amounts it can even turn drinking water brown. Though it is not a health hazard, it can impair taste and clarity of water. The EPA recommended safe level is less than 0.05 mg/L.
Uranium
is a radioactive element, typically used in the making of nuclear arms, is found in the surrounding bedrock. It will enter the groundwater via erosion and will go undetected because of its tasteless, colorless, and odorless nature. While uranium is very common and the human body can process most that passes through it, some does get absorbed into the organs and can cause damage, most notably within the kidney. The EPA maximum contaminant level for uranium is 30 μg/L.
Radon
is a radioactive gas that comes from the natural breakdown of uranium found in igneous rock and soil. Though there is no correlation between the amount of high uranium and the amount of radon in a water source, radon gas is just as hazardous on its own. As certain isotopic uranium particles decay in water, radon gas is released into the air where it can then be inhaled. According to the CDC, radon gas is the second leading cause of lung cancer in the United States alone, and is responsible for up to 20,000 lung cancer related deaths per year. The EPA has no limit on the safe levels for radon within water, however the State of Maine and New Hampshire have both set advisory levels of 4,000 pCi/L & 2,000 pCi/L respectively. At levels above these amounts you should consider action beginning with reviewing your total radon risk (from radon in air and water). As your radon level in water gets closer to 10,000 pCi/L, you need to more strongly consider installing treatment.
We offer several testing options for these contaminants, as well as others that can have similarly harmful effects. For a full list of tests we offer please visit our websites.
|
|
Soak Up the Rain New Hampshire
By Alicia Graton
|
|
After a very rainy spring in the Granite State, we were all left hoping for a bright summer, but how often do we stop and think about where all that rain water is going? According to the NHDES, 90% of the water pollution problems in New Hampshire are caused by stormwater runoff from roads, buildings and parking lots. These are called impervious surfaces, which change the way water flows and keeps it from soaking into the ground where it can be filtered naturally by the soil and recharge the groundwater supply. As the rain water moves along, it picks up contaminants from pet waste, oil from motor vehicle leaks, fertilizers and other chemicals used outdoors. Stormwater runoff and the pollution it carries can make water conditions unsafe for swimming and for the aquatic life, as well as cause flooding and erosion.
What can we do as home and business owners to manage stormwater runoff? NHDES and Manchester Water Works are two of many programs created to help inform the public on the issue. NHDES’s program
SOAK up the rain NH
teaches us how to recognize problem areas around our properties and how to correct them. These projects can range from a simple barrel used to collect rain water from the roof which can then be used to nourish the lawn and garden during dry weather, or a rain garden that sits low in a landscape and captures stormwater. Projects can be more complex, such as creating trenches and infiltration steps made of stone or wood which slow down runoff by creating slopes. Slowing the runoff can help prevent flooding and erosion in areas near rivers, lakes and ponds.
Manchester Water Works has a Stormwater Management Program (SWMP) to teach residents about runoff and how they can participate in cleaning and preventing pollution. For example, they estimate that if each of the 100,000 residents take steps to keep one pint of used oil off the ground from either engine leaks or oil changes, then they could keep 12,500 gallons of used oil out of the Merrimack River watershed. This amount of oil is enough to pollute 10 billion gallons of water! Oil contamination can create a thick sludge on top of the water which makes it hard for plants to photosynthesize and can also kill marine life. Manchester Water Works also hosts two pond clean ups each year where residents can volunteer to help remove litter and debris from ponds and surrounding areas throughout the city. This project is called the
Manchester
Urban Ponds Restoration Program.
If we all chip in to help stormwater find its way into the ground and be a little more conscientious of the chemicals we are using and how they are disposed, we can help decrease the amount of pollution that ends up in bodies of water across the state. Afterall, it is much easier to prevent contamination than it is to clean it up after the damage is done.
|
|
Water Treatment Technology Program in Maine
By Rebecca Labranche
|
|
All Community and Non-Transient Non-Community (NTNC), water systems in Maine are required to place the operation of the water system under the direct supervision of a licensed water operator. Systems are classified according to size and complexity and the qualification of the operator must match the system classification.
Water Operator License holders must pass an initial exam, have the appropriate years of required experience and earn continuing education credits for license renewal every two years. The number of training contact hours required for license renewal depends on the classification of the license.
The State of Maine has an immediate and growing need for qualified water plant operators.
Over the past several years this industry has seen an aging workforce where long time employees are retiring and no one is available or qualified to fill these positions. Luckily, Northern Maine Community College in Presque Isle is helping to fill this void. They have established a new program to prepare students for direct entry into the water operator field.
"The Water Treatment Technology Program will provide students with a fundamental understanding of the scientific principles used to treat drinking water as well as sanitize wastewater before it is discharged back into the environment. Students will learn industry theory and gain “hands-on” experience using laboratory exercises to better understand the information across the spectrum — from the basics to an in-depth study of Water and Wastewater Treatment."
Graduates of the Program will be qualified for employment opportunities within a number of water-based industries.
For more information on their program visit their
website
.
|
|
NEWS THROUGHOUT OUR INDUSTRY
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
